Mail-box.



No. 809,866. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

T. J. R. TURNER.

MAIL BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 12. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED'JAN; 9, 1906.

T. J. R. TURNER.

MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVlAlL-vBOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed September 12, 1905. Serial No. 278,202.

To (LAZ 2072,0127, it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. R. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taylor, in the county of Pottawattamie, in the State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hail-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Thisinvention relates to boxes for reception of mail-matter.-

The object of the invention is to provide a box which shall be adapted to the needs of the rural free-delivery service. In the service referred to the boxes are placed at the roadside and the carrier both receives and delivers the mail. It is desirable that the incoming mail be placed in a compartment which shall be locked against access by unauthorized persons, and it is also desirable, for the purpose of saving time and labor, that the carrier be able to make the necessary collection and delivery without dismounting from his vehicle. It is true that if the box were secured by the usual hasp and lock the delivered mail would be secure; but in order to deliver to or make collection from the box it would be necessary in such case for the carrier to get out of his vehicle to unlock it, unless the box were provided with a letter-drop, and then it would be necessary to alight to make a collection.

According to the present invention a compartment is provided for incoming mail, which compartment has a door which may be locked in any usual or desired manner and which is provided with a closure which will permit the transmission of mail from the exterior to the interior of the compartment without at any time permitting access to its contents. In addition a compartment. .is provided for outgoing mail, the locking and unlocking of which is dependent upon the position of the closure of the incoming-mail compartment, so that by actuating the closure, which may be done from the carriers vehicle, the unlocking of the outgoing-mail compartment is effected. Means for automatically opening the last-named compartmentupon its unlocking may be provided, so that the outgoing mail will be exposed within reach of the carrier upon making a deposit in the incoming-mail compartment.

Other objects and details of the invention will appear in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and in which v Figure 1 is a front elevationof a mail-box constructed according to my invention, the closure for the incoming-mail compartment being open. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 4-. looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a mail-box with the rear covering-plate removed.

Referring to the drawings, the box comprises an incoming-mail compartment A, provided with a closure B, a door (J, and a compartment D for outgoing mail. The casing of the box is extended rearwardly to form a recess E, within which may be located the means F and G, by which the interlocking of the two compartments is effected.

The door C is adapted to be secured by the hasp 1, staple 2, and a padlock in the ordinary manner. The closure comprises an arc-shaped plate 3, adapted to slide upon guides 4: 5. The plate 3 is so proportioned and arranged with relation to the box that when slid to its uppermost position the box is closed to the exterior, While when it is in its open position the upper portion of the compartment A is accessible,

so that mail-matter may be deposited, while 7 the lower portion of the compartment is cut off from the upper by the plate 3, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. A handle 6 may be provided for moving the closure B, and a slot 7 may be formed in the overhanging roof of the box to permit the passage of the handle and the entrance of the edge of the closure beneath the edge of the roof, so that a watertight construction is secured. Aspring 8, secured at one end to the closure B and at the other end to the box-casing, tends to move the closure to closed position and is guided along the curved path of the closure by means of a rod 9, fixed to the box-casing.

In the construction shown the compartment D assumes the form of a drawer, which slides beneath the compartment A. This drawer may be divided by a partition 8, so that a receptacle for stamps is provided at one side and a receptacle for mail at the other, or the compartment may be divided in any other convenient or desirable manner.

The means Gr for locking the compartment D closed comprises a rod 9, adapted to slide in guides 1O 11, fixed to the rear wall of the compartment A, the lower end of the rod being adapted to enter within a staple 12, secured to the rear of the drawer D. The upper end of the rod 9 is bent at an angle and projects through an aperture in the rear wall of the compartment A, so that it may be engaged by the rear edge of the plate 3. The means F for locking the closure B in open position and to effect the release of the said closure by the drawer D comprises two rodsections 13 14. The upper section 13 is pivoted at 15 to the rear wall of the compartment A and at its upper end is bent at an angle and projects through the said rear wall, so that it may enter a notch 16 in the plate 3 when the latter is in open position. The lower end of the section 13 is forced outwardly by a spring 17 and is adapted to be engaged by the cam 18 at the upper end of the section 14. The section 14 is adapted to slide vertically in guides 19 2O 21, secured to the rear wall of the compartment A, and is engaged by a spring 22, which tends to force it downwardly. The lower end of the section 14 is adapted to engage with a cam 23, secured to the rear end of the drawer D, which tends to force the section upwardly when the drawer is closed. A spring 24, adapted to bear against the rear end of the drawer D, provides a means for automatically opening the drawer when it is unlocked. The'recess E may be inclosed and the means F and G protected from injury by means of a plate 29.

To indicate to the carrier when a collection is to be made or to the addressee of the mailmatter when a deposit has been made by the carrier, a suitable signal is secured to the box. This may consist of a small flag 25, the support 26 of which is pivotally secured to the top of the box by means of a staple 27. When it is desired to display the flag, it is raised to its vertical position, in which position it is supported by the bent end 28 of the flag-shaft. At other times the flag may lie flat upon the top of the box.

The manner of use of the mail-box may now be set forth. Both the compartments being closed, if the carrier desires to make a deposit he grasps the handle 6 and forcing it downwardly carries the plate 3 against the tension of the spring 8 to a position as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3. The mail may now be deposited in the upper portion of the compartment A. As the plate 3 nears the end of its opening movement its rear end engages with the bent end of the rod 9, and drawing it upwardly the lower end of the rod is disengaged from the staple 12, whereupon the drawer D is forced outwardly by the spring 24, and the contents of the drawer, such as outgoing mail, is exposed to the view of the carrier and may be collected by him. Also as the plate 3 comes to its open position the bent end of the rod 13 engages with the notch 16, and the closure B is held open after the operator removes his hand from the handle 6. The mail having been deposited as described within the upper portion of the compartment A, the contents of the compartment D having been removed, the carrier then pushes the drawer D inwardly, compressing the spring 24. As the drawer advances inwardly the cam 23 comes into engagement with the lower end of the rod-section 14, which is then forced upwardly, and by reason of the engagement of the cam 18 with the lower end of the rod-section 13 the lower end of the lastnamed section is forced inwardly against the spring 17 and the upper bent end of the section is moved outwardly, so that the plate 3 is released. The plate 3 is then placed at its uppermost and closed position by the spring 8. The closing of the closure B, as described, removes its supporting edge from beneath the bent end of the rod 9, which therefore drops and enters its lower end within the staple 12, thus locking the drawer D closed. Upon the closing of the closure B the mail deposited in the upper portion of the compartmentAdrops to the lower portion thereof and is inaccessible to every one except the person having the key with which to unlock the door C, from which the deposited mail may be obtained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A mail-box comprising a compartment for incoming mail, a closure controlling communication with said compartment, a compartment for outgoing mail adapted to be opened and closed, means for locking said compartment for outgoing mail in closed position, said closure engaging with said looking means to unlock the last-mentioned compartment when said closure is open, and means for automatically opening the last-mentioned compartment. 2. A mail-box comprising a compartment for incoming mail, a closure controlling communication with said compartment, said closure when open permitting access to the upper portion of said compartment, but extending across and closing communication with the lower portion of said compartment; a compartment for outgoing mail adapted to be opened and closed, means for locking said compartment for outgoing mail in closed position; the said closure engaging with said locking means to unlock the last-mentioned compartment when said closure is open.

3. A mail-box comprising a compartment for incoming mail, a closure controlling communication with'said compartment, a door to said compartment, a compartment for outgoing mail adapted to be opened and closed, means for locking said compartment for outgoing mail in closed position; said closure engaging with said locking means to unlock the last-mentioned compartment when said closure is open.

4. A mail-box comprising a compartment for incoming mail, a closure controlling-communication with said compartment, a compartment for outgoing mail adapted to be opened and closed,-means for locking said closure in open position; said compartment for outgoing mail engaging the said locking means to unlock said closure when the lastmentioned compartment is closed.

5. A mail-box comprising a compartment for incoming mail, a closure controlling communication with said compartment, a com partment for outgoing mail adapted to be opened and closed, means for locking said compartment for outgoing mail in closed position, said closure engaging with said locking means to unlock the last-mentioned compartment when said closure is open, means for locking said closure in open position; said compartment for outgoing mail engaging with said closure-locking means to unlock said closure when the last-mentioned compartment is closed.

6. A mail-box comprising a compartment for incoming mail, a closure controlling communication with said compartment, a compartment for outgoing mail adapted to be opened and closed, means for locking said THOS. J. R. TURNER.

Witnesses:

FELIX LETZ, Gno. N. EVANS. 

